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Maybe someone knowledgeable can chime in. I heard that if energy inputs required to produce photovoltaics (in China, most likely) are taken into account, they a

by dmos62 3y ago

Maybe someone knowledgeable can chime in. I heard that if energy inputs required to produce photovoltaics (in China, most likely) are taken into account, they are not efficient enough and long-lasting enough to be net-producers of energy in parts of the world that are not absolutely bathed in sunlight. Basically, many places in the world just don't get enough sunlight. Photovoltaics might make sense financially (at least in the short term), but not ecologically, in many places. Anyone has informed insight?

pjc50 3y ago
It's something to consider, but they appear to be net-positive even in Canada: https://www.entuitive.com/ensight-trend-home/whole-life-carbon-of-solar-photovoltaic-spv-modules-case-study/ https://www.entuitive.com/ensight-trend-home/whole-life-carb... (Some areas of Canada are well-supplied with hydroelectric power already, in which case the CO2-offsetting effect is much less worth it)
bryanlarsen 3y ago
It takes 1.6 years for a solar panel in the UK to offset the CO2 used to manufacture it. https://www.renewableenergyhub.co.uk/main/solar-panels/solar-panels-carbon-analysis https://www.renewableenergyhub.co.uk/main/solar-panels/solar... And the UK is pretty much worst case scenario for solar panels. Other locations can do it in 3 months. And given that solar panels last >25 years...
stareatgoats 3y ago
The energy required to create solar panels is considerable. It does however not supersede the energy output over the panel lifetimes anymore [0]; depending on location, angle and type e.t.c. the energy needed for production and operation may be as low as 5% or as high as 50% of the lifetime output, with approximately 25% currently being the norm. This ratio is constantly improving with more efficient solar panels and more efficient manufacturing methods. [0] https://www.solarmelon.com/faqs/solar-panels-use-energy-manufacture-actually-produce/ https://www.solarmelon.com/faqs/solar-panels-use-energy-manu...
dgacmu 3y ago
The phrase you're looking for is "embodied energy", and the answer is first, that solar generates a net return on energy investment in under 10 years, and often in much much less than that, with a panel lifetime of over 30 years. But more importantly, it's even more favorable when you compare it to the embodied energy of non-renewable resources: https://sustainability.stackexchange.com/questions/8317/what-is-the-typical-embodied-energy-of-a-solar-photovoltaic-panel https://sustainability.stackexchange.com/questions/8317/what...

by dmos62 3y ago

pjc50 3y ago

It's something to consider, but they appear to be net-positive even in Canada: https://www.entuitive.com/ensight-trend-home/whole-life-carbon-of-solar-photovoltaic-spv-modules-case-study/ https://www.entuitive.com/ensight-trend-home/whole-life-carb... (Some areas of Canada are well-supplied with hydroelectric power already, in which case the CO2-offsetting effect is much less worth it)

bryanlarsen 3y ago

It takes 1.6 years for a solar panel in the UK to offset the CO2 used to manufacture it. https://www.renewableenergyhub.co.uk/main/solar-panels/solar-panels-carbon-analysis https://www.renewableenergyhub.co.uk/main/solar-panels/solar... And the UK is pretty much worst case scenario for solar panels. Other locations can do it in 3 months. And given that solar panels last >25 years...

stareatgoats 3y ago

The energy required to create solar panels is considerable. It does however not supersede the energy output over the panel lifetimes anymore [0]; depending on location, angle and type e.t.c. the energy needed for production and operation may be as low as 5% or as high as 50% of the lifetime output, with approximately 25% currently being the norm. This ratio is constantly improving with more efficient solar panels and more efficient manufacturing methods. [0] https://www.solarmelon.com/faqs/solar-panels-use-energy-manufacture-actually-produce/ https://www.solarmelon.com/faqs/solar-panels-use-energy-manu...

dgacmu 3y ago

The phrase you're looking for is "embodied energy", and the answer is first, that solar generates a net return on energy investment in under 10 years, and often in much much less than that, with a panel lifetime of over 30 years. But more importantly, it's even more favorable when you compare it to the embodied energy of non-renewable resources: https://sustainability.stackexchange.com/questions/8317/what-is-the-typical-embodied-energy-of-a-solar-photovoltaic-panel https://sustainability.stackexchange.com/questions/8317/what...